Machine for creasing, slotting, and printing blanks



MACHINE FOR CREASING, SLOTTING, AND PRINTING BLANKS Filed May 5, 193,3 '7 Sheets-Sheet l a a j] o Q a g 4 49" a N w T a q (5} 5 as I;

m mvErQT m g lam 9M BY [a o} I I TT EYS Oct. 23, 1 .934. 5 w sw JR 1,977,812

MACHINE FOR CREASING, SLOTTING, AND PRINTING BLANKS Filed May s, 1935 7 Sfieets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M, w. BM, y.

Oct. 23, 1934. G. w. SWIFT, JR

MACHINE FOR GREASING, SLOTTING, AND PRINTING BLANKS Filed May a 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct, 23, 1934. w SWIFT, JR 1,977,812

MACHINE FOR GREASING, SLOTTING, AND PRINTING BLANKS Filed May 3, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Oct. 23, 1934. w sw JR 1,977,812

MACHINE FOR CREASING, SLOTTING, AND PRINTING BLANKS Filed May 5, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 N Ry/Vim" W i w G. W. SWIFT, JR

MACHINE FOR GREASING, SLOTTING, AND PRINTING BLANKS Filed May 5, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 m m ww M0 MACHINE FOR CREASING, SLOTTING, AND PRINTING BLANKS Oct. 23, 1934. I a. w. SWIFT, JR

Filed May 3, 1933 7 SheetsSheet 7 INVENTOR Patented Oct. 23, 1934 PATENT oFi-uca MACHINE FOR CREASING, SLOTTING, AND PRINTING BLANKS George W. Swift, Jr., Bordentown, N. .L, assignor to George W. Swift Jr., Inc., Bordentown, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 3, 1933, Serial No. 669,156

32 Claims.

This invention relates to machines of the rotary type for creasing, slotting and printing blanks for the manufacture of cartons and containers, and has for its primary object to provide 5 mechanisms of improved. construction and arrangement for creasing, slotting and printing the blanks, from which containers are to be made, and improved means for correlating the essential operations of a machine of this character for producing containers of various forms and sizes rapidly and economically in large or small quantities. For this purpose, my invention contemplates an improved construction and arrangement of separable units adapted to be rapidly disassociated, separately adjusted by a few simple manipulations of readily accessible parts, and

reassembled in properly timed relation for immediate operation.

In a general way, some of the objects of my present invention are to provide mechanism of improved construction for creasing the blanks; mechanism of improved construction for slotting the blanks; and interrelated blank-feeding and power-transmitting connections whereby the timed functions of the several mechanisms may be predetermined prior to arranging the several mechanisms in cooperating relations with each other. For this purpose, my invention contemplates a machine of this character which can be easily and rapidly adjusted to operate upon blanks ranging in size from the smallest to the largest dimensions and on materials of any desired thickness; which will produce good work at high speed in large or small quantities; and which will permit a refined adjustment of said parts for the elimination of lost play in the operating connections between adjacent sections of the machine and waste of material. One purpose of my invention is to provide suitable and dependable means for feeding curled or warped blanks to and through the machine. Another purpose is to eliminate lost motion between power-transmitting parts which may be thrown into and out of operating relationship or adjusted relatively to each other.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of parts in creasing and slotting machines of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,353,087, which was granted in my name under date of September 14, 1920, whereby one set of cooperating creaser bars and complete segmented feed pads of a combined blank-creasing and blankslotting unit may be simultaneously adjusted with refined precision with respect to another set of cooperating creaser bars and complete segmented feed pads while at the same time auto-' matically determining the longitudinal setting of the slotting mechanism associated therewith. For this purpose, my invention contemplates creaser bar locking mechanism for maintaining one set of said creaser bar sets in fixed angular relation during the adjustment of the other set with respect thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide mechanism of improved construction for laterally adjusting the leading male and female blankslotting knives simultaneously with the following male and female blank-slotting knives by a unitary adjustment of the whole.

Another object of my invention is to provide a stripper mechanism of improved construction, said stripper mechanism being suitably constructed to be adjusted laterally by the lateral adjustment of the blank-slotting knives.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved power-transmitting and measuring gear connections between the combined blankcreasing and blank-slotting unit and a printing unit which is movable into and out of geared relation thereto; blank-feeding mechanism of improved construction including permanently connected upper and lower feed rolls operating in a common plane with the blank-creasing and blank-slotting mechanisms, and with improved power connections therefor, whereby the delivery of blanks from an endless conveyor to said feed rolls may be timed to predetermined intervals without interfering with the removal and replacement of said blank-feeding mechanism with respect to said blank-creasing and blank-slotting mechanisms.

Certain particular objects of invention, relating to the structure and relationships of specific parts, will appear in the claims and be referred to in the specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which exemplify my invention in a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a container blank-creasing, slotting and printing machine embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same with the blank-feeding mechanism separated from the transverse creasing and slotting mechanism on the one hand, and the printing and longitudinal creasing mechanisms separated therefrom on the other hand. 7

Figure 3 is an enlarged rear elevation of the transverse creasing mechanism, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-section of the transverse creasing mechanism on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, parts being broken away and parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-section of the transverse creasing mechanism on the line 55 of Figure 3, parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 6 is a cross-section, similar to Figure 5, with the parts shown in changed positions and with the locking segments lowered for the adjustment of the creaser bars.

Figure '7 is an enlarged perspective view of the creaser bar locking device detached.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view and cross-section of one of the creaser drums\and transverse creasing units adjustable thereon.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line.99 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged rear elevation of the slotting mechanism, parts being shown in section.

Figure 11 is an enlarged cross-section of the slotting mechanism on the line 1ll1 of Figure 10, parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 12 is an enlarged cross-section of the slotting mechanism on the line 1212 of Figure 10, parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 13 is an enlarged axial section of the slotting cutters, portions being broken away and portions shown in elevation.

Figure 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the yoke or frame for laterally adjusting one of the upper slotting cutters, parts being shown in cross-section.

Figure 15 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the rack and pinion adjustment for one of the upper slotting cutters, parts being shown in section and contiguous parts being shown in phantom view.

Figure 16 is an enlarged side elevation of the power-transmitting gear train and measuring gears.

Figure 17 is an expanded diagrammatic development of the gears shown in Figure 16, corresponding to a broken line through the rotary axes of alternately arranged upper and lower powertransmitting shafts, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section.

Figure 18 is an expanded diagrammatic plan view of the power-transmitting gears of the blank-feeding and blank-creasing units, parts being broken away.

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic side elevation on a reduced scale of the gears shown in Figure 18 in their operating relations.

Figure 20 is a detached top plan view of the Vernier adjustment head, parts being broken away and parts being shown in horizontal section; and

Figure 21 is a perspective view of one of the blanks.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, my invention is embodied in a machine comprising a blank-feeding unit A, a blank-creasing and slotting unit B, a first printing unit C, a second printing unit D, an intermediate blank-feeding unit E, and a longitudinal creasing unit F. The blank-feeding unit A is provided with a bed frame 1 which is spaced longitudinally from a bed frame 2 for the units C, D, E and F. The bed frames 1 and 2 areconnected by a base frame 3 of the blank-creasing and blank-slotting unit B. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the laterally spaced members 3, 3 of the creaser slotter base frame serve as supports for the laterally spaced side frames 4 and 5 of the transverse creasing and slotting unit B. The transverse blank-creasing mechanism, shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, comprises upper and lower blank-creasing assemblies of parts shown in cross-section in Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings. Mounted within the side frames 4 and 5 is a lower creaser shaft or drum 6 which is provided with reduced portions 7 and 8 for journalling said shaft or drum in the side frames, an upper shaft or drum 9 being arranged in the same vertical transverse plane and journalled within said side frames 4 and 5 by means of reduced portions 10 and 11 thereof. Secured to the outer peripheries of the lower and upper shafts 6 and 9 are plates or aprons 12 and 13, said plates being held in fixed relation to the shaft by means of cap screws 14. The arcuate plates 12 and 13 are respectively provided with axially-extending grooves 15 and 16, within which are mounted male and female creaser bars 17 and 18, said creaser bars being adapted to cooperate with each other during every revolution of the creaser shafts. Movable relatively to the arcuate plates 12 and 13 on the outer peripheries of the shafts or drums 6 and 9 are other arcuate plates or aprons 19 and 20 which carry male and female creaser bars 21 and 22. Referring more especially to Figure 4, each of the movable arcuate plates 19 and 20 are releasably secured to the outer wall of the shaft of drum 6 or 9 by means of a series of machine bolts 23 arranged at intervals across the axial width of the segmental plates 19 and 20. Said bolts are mounted in holes within said segmental plates, and protrude into a series of peripheral grooves 24 formed in the outer wall of the shafts 6 and 9. As shown best in Figure 9 of the drawings, each of the bolts 23 is provided on its inner end with a dovetailed nut 25, said grooves 24 being made with a dovetailed cross-section to prevent the outward displacement of the nuts 25 therefrom. It will be understood from this description that by loosening the five bolts 23 in each of the arcuate plates 19 and 20, said arcuate plates are adapted to be moved around the periphery of the shafts or drums 6 and 9, and may thus be variably located with respect to the fixed arcuate plates 12 and 13 for the purpose of arranging the creaser bars 21 and 22 at any desired angular position with respect to the creaser bars 17 and 18. Suitable means for imparting a simultaneous adjustment of the creaser bars 21 and 22, with respect to the creaser bars 17 and 18, may be provided as follows:-.

Freely journalled on the shafts 6 and 9, within and adjacent to the side frames 4 and 5, are intermeshing spur gears 26, 27, 28 and 29, the inwardly extending hub portions of said gears having overlapping end portions of the segmental plates 19 and 20 secured thereto by means of cap screws 30, as shown at the left of Figure 3. Suitable means for locking the intermeshing gears, just referred to, for holding the segmental plates 19 and 20 in fixed relation to each other after they have been released from the creaser shafts or drums, may be provided as follows:-

Surmounting the side frames 4 and 5 are bearing brackets 31 and 32, within which is journalled a cross shaft 33 provided on opposite ends with handwheels 34. As shown best in Figure '7, an eccentric disk 35, which is keyed to the crossshaft 33 inside of each of the bearing brackets 32, 32, operates in an eccentric strap 36. The eccentric strap 36 is provided with a depending radial arm 37, which is pivotally connected by pin 38 to a locking gear segment or plate 39 provided with teeth of suitable pitch to. be moved into and out of engagement with the teeth of the upper gears 27 and 29. With the locking segments 48 in mesh with the upper gears 27- and 29, the creaser bars 17 and 18 may be moved. toward or away from the lockedcreaser bars 21 and 22 by the driving connections for the creaser shafts 6 and 9. These driving connections will now be described. Referring more especially to-Figures 3 and 16 of the drawings, a main drive shaft 41 carries a driving pinion 42, which meshes into a large spur gear 43, said spur gear 43 being keyed to the outer end of the lower creaser shaft 6. Also keyed to the lower creaser shaft 6 are two axially spaced spur gears 44 and 45, which respectively mesh with spur gears 46 and 47 which are keyed to opposite ends of the upper creaser shaft 9. It will be understood, therefore, that by turning a handwheel (not shown) on the outer end of drive shaft 41, the peripheral displacement of the creaser bars 17 and 18, with respect to the creaser bars 21 and 22, may be measured by the angular displacement of the large spur gear 43. For this purpose, the outwardly presented face of the spur gear 43 may be provided with a scale 43a, which is movable past an indicator mark 48 on a bracket arm 49 which may be secured by cap screw 50 to the bearing bracket 31 and arranged to overhang the upper edge of the spur gear 43. The fixed and movable arcuate plates 13 and 20 of the upper blank-creasing element are provided with segmental feed pads 20a which, as shown in Figure 4, are rigidly mounted upon the outer wall of the segments 13 and 20 in cooperative relation to the transverse creaser bars. The arcuate segments 12 and 19 of the lower blank-creasing element are likewise provided with segmental feed pads 19a, cooperatively arranged with respect to the creaser bars and rigidly mounted upon the outer surfaces of the arcuate plates 12 and 19. The segmental feed pads of the upper creasing unit are preferably made of rubber, while the segmental feed pads of the lower creasing unit are preferably made of knurled steel.

Keyed to the left-hand end of lower creaser shaft 6, according to Figure 3 of the drawings, and between the spur gears 43 and 44, is a powertransmitting gear 51 which, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 16, meshes with a spur gear 52- keyed to the outer end of the upper transverse slotter shaft 53. As shown in Figure 10, the spur gear 52 is adapted to drive an upper slotter drum 53 which is provided with journals 54. 55, by means of which it is rotatably mounted in the side frames 4 and 5. The upper slotter drum 53 is provided with spur gears 56 and 57 which mesh with the spur gears 58 and 59 keyed to the outer ends of a lower slotter drum 60, said lower slotter drum being provided with journals 61 and 62, whereby it is rotatably mounted in the side frames 4 and 5. Mounted upon the lower slotter drum 60 are a plurality of laterally spaced slotter-carrying disks 63 (see Figure 13). The lower slotter drum 60 is provided with an axially extending groove 64 for the reception of a key or feather 65, said feather being adapted to maintain a given angular disposition of the slotter disk 63 upon the drum 60 during the lateral adjustment of the former on the latter. is provided with a radial hole into which is threaded a set screw 66. said set screw being suitably arranged to impinge upon the feather 65 in any adjusted position of the disk 63. As shown best in Figure 11, each of the slotter-carrying disks 63 Each of the slotter-carrying disks 63' slightly more than 180 around the axis of the slotter drum 60. Slidablymounted upon the hub portion-of the disk 63 is an arcuate support 68 for a curved slotter plate 69. Threaded into the support 68 are cap screws 70. said cap screws being arranged to slide within the slot 67 when they are loosened to permit the peripheral adju tment ofthe curved slotter plate 69 with respzct to a second curved slotter plate 71 which is mounted in an arcuate block or support 72, which is also mounted upon the hub portion of the disk 63 and secured to said disk by means of cap screws 70 which extend through relatively short slots 73 in the disk 63 for a limited adjustment'of the slotter plate 71. The upper slotter drum 53 carr es a plurality of laterally spaced blocks or disks 74 adjustable axially on the drum 53 and relatively to each other, said blocks or disks being provided with elongated hubs for slidably supporting the arcuate plates or punching dies 75. Each 01 said blocks or disks 74 is provided also with a circular groove 76 of substantially T-shaped cross-section for slidably mounting the square heads of bolts 77 which project axially from said slots through circular holes in the arcuate plates or punches 75, nuts 78 being threaded to the outer ends of the bolts for clamping the plates 75 in any adjusted position upon the block 74. As shown in Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings, the upper drum 53 is provided with an angular recess 79, extending axially of the drum and having seated therein a key or feather 80 with a laterally presented rack 81. Each of the blocks or disks 74 is provided with a groove, which adapts it to slidably engage the feather 80, and also with a radial opening extending therefrom to the outer periphery of the block. Within the radial opening in the block is threaded a set screw 82, whereby the block or disk 74 may be secured in any adjusted position. Suitable means for adjusting the blocks axially of the drum 53, for securing any desired lateral spaclngof the slots in a blank, may be provided by a hand operated pinion wrench 83 (see Figure 15), said rod being provided on one end with a pinion 84. Each of the disks or blocks 74 is also provided witha socket opening 85, extending outwardly from the angular recess 79 through which the pinion 84 may be moved into engagement with the rack bar 81 for the purpose of imparting a lateral displacement to the block or disk 74 when the set screw 82 is loosened from the feather 80.

Referring now to Figures 10, 11, 12 and 14, a cross bar or tie rod 85a, which is mounted at opposite ends in bracket supports ,86 on the side frames 4 and 5, is provided with a depending guide bar 87 of substantially T-shaped cross-section. Slidably mounted upon the guide bar 87 are a plurality of stripper-supporting brackets 88, there being one of said slidable brackets for each of the blank-slotting units. As shown best in Figure 14, each of the sliding brackets 88 carries a depending stripper frame with laterally spaced branches 89 which terminate below in rearwardly presented stripper fingers 90 adapted to be disposed slightly above the plane of feed of the blank passing through the machine. As shown in Figure 13, the revolving cutter plates 75, 75 are adapted to pass between the stripper fingers 90, and during the upward movement of the slotters from the blank said fingers are adapted to overcome any tendency of the slotted blanks to cling to the cutter plates as they rise from the blank.

is provided with a circular slot 67 which extends Referring now to Figures 1, '2, is, 19 and 20, the rear extension side frames 1 are provided along their upper edges with track bars for laterally spaced rollers 91, which are journalled upon suitable studs which project from opposite sides of a substantially triangular frame or carriage 92 for an endless conveyor for blanks. Said endless conveyor comprises a plurality of laterally ,spaced endless chains 93 which pass about and are supported by sprocket wheels 94. At the rear end of the carriage, the sprocket wheels 94 are keyed to 'a transverse shaft 95, and at the forward upper end of the conveyor the sprocket wheels are mounted upon a conveyor drive shaft 96. The remaining sprockets 94 are mounted in laterally-spaced slack take-up arms 97 which are adjustably mounted upon a cross rod 98, which extends between the side frames of the carriage 92. From an inspection of Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the upper run of the conveyor moves upwardly in an inclined path towards the transverse creasing and slotting unit, said conveyor being provided with transverse pusherbars 99 adapted to propel blanks upwardly for delivery to the feed rolls, to be presently described, which receive said blanks and transmit them to the creaser and slotter mechanism. As shown in Figure 3, the upper creaser drum is provided with a spur gear 100 which, as shown in Figure 18 of the drawings, meshes into, an idler gear 101 for transmitting power to a spur gear 102 on one end of an upper feed roll 103. A spur gear 104, which is keyed to the right-hand end of lower creaser drum 6, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, meshes with an idler spur gear 105 which in turn meshes with a small spur gear 106 on the outer end of a lower feed roll 107. Said upper and lower feed rolls 103 and 107, which for convenience may be termed the delivery feed rolls, are thus driven in unison with each other from the upper and lower creaser drums respectively. Rotatable with the idler gear 105 is a second idler gear 106 which meshes into a spur gear 107 on one end of a lower feed roll 108 of a pair of receiving feed rolls, the other end of said feed roll 108 being provided with a spur gear 109, which meshes with an idler gear 110 and transmits power through a second idler gear 111 to a spur gear 112 on one end of an upper feed roll 113, said blank-receiving feed rolls 108 and 113 being thus driven in unison with each other from the lower creasing drum. As shown at the left in Figure 18 of the drawings, an idler gear 114, which meshes with the spur gear 107, transmits power to a spur gear 115 which, as shown in Figure 20, is secured to the inner face of a disk 116, said spur gear 115 and disk 116 being freely journalled upon the conveyor drive shaft 96. Keyed to the outer end of the conveyor drive shaft 96 is a handwheel 117, which is integrally formed with a disk 118, said disk 118 having slidable contact withthe disk 116 to adapt it to be angularly adjusted in respect thereto. The disk 116 is provided with a circular slot of T-shaped cross-section for the reception of the head ends of bolts 119 which extend through holes or openings in the circular plate 118 and are provided on their-outer ends with nuts 1 20, whereby the circular plate 118 may be rigidly secured to the disk 116 in any adjusted position. The parts 115 to 120 inclusive constitute an adjustment head whereby the positions of the transverse pusher bars 99 may be predetermined with respect to the transverse creasing and slotter mechanism, and by means of which the timing in the delivery of successive blanks through receiving feed rolls 108 and 113 and delivery feed rolls 103 and 107 may be provided for. Projecting from the right-hand side frame 1 of the blank-feeding mechanism is an indicator pointer 121 which shows the amount of angular displacement of the endless conveyor drive shaft 96 on a scale 116a extending around the periphery of disk 116 when said drive shaft is adjusted by means of the handwheel 117. Refined adjustments of the drive shaft 96 of the endless conveyor for the proper timing of the blank-feeding bars 99, in respect to the blank-creasing and slotting unit, may be had by means of a Vernier scale 118a on disk 118 after the nuts 120 have been loosened from the bolts 119. The blank-feeding mechanism just described is suitably geared to the creasing and slotting machine to permit the convenient adjustment and timing of the feed for the purpose of predetermining the locations and relative arrangements of the creases and slots produced therein and subject matter printed thereon. In adjusting the blank-feeding mechanism for a given size of box blank, the machine is turned over from initial position by the handwheel on drive shaft 41 until the indicator mark 48 (see Figure 16 of the drawings) registers with a mark in the scale 43a on the side face of spur gear 43 which corresponds to the depth of the blank plus the width of one flap. The transverse pusher bars 99 are then set by a graduated scale on the inclined feed table to correspond to the width of the blanks in the direction of feed as they are passed through the machine. With the several sections of the machine operatively connected, successive blanks may then be taken from the stack of blanks and placed one after the other upon the endless conveyor 93, by which they are carried to the receiving feed rolls 108 and 113. As each blank approaches said feed rolls, its forward edge passes from under thelaterally spaced ironing has directly into the bite of the feed rolls. For the purpose of facilitating the setting of the slotting unit, (see Figure 16), the lower gear 58 on the lower slotting drum 60 may be provided with an arcuate scale 58a, whereby the angular displacement of the slotter drums 53 and 60 may be indicated by means of a pointer 121 on the base frame 3 of the creaser and slotting unit.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 16 and 17 of the drawings, the power-transmitting spur gear 52 meshes into a ring gear 122 on the lower shaft 123 of the first printing unit C. The ring gear 122 is provided with a circular series of slots 124 within which are adjustable bolts 125 carried by a circular disk 126, said circular disk being keyed to the shaft 123. Releasable nuts 127 on the bolts 126, when they are loosened of said bolts, permit an angular adjustment of the ring gear 122 with respect to the disk 126. The amount of this angular adjustment may be measured by an arcuate scale 128 formed on the disk 126 along the inner circumferential edge of the ring gear 122. The lower shaft 123 carries the impression cylinder 129 of the first printing unit C. Driven in unison with the impression cylinder 129 is a type cylinder 130, said cylinders being driven in unison with each other by means of'a lower spur gear 131 and an upper spur gear 132 carried by the upper shaft 133 of the first printing unit. The shaft 133 may be provided with a squared end 134 for the application of a squaresocket wrench. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the first printing unit C is provided with a substantially vertical frame 135', which is movably mounted by means of flanged wheels 136 upon the forward extension 2 of the main frame of the machine, thus permitting the printing unit C to be moved into and out of driven engagement with the blankcreasing and slotting unit- The ring gear 122 meshes into and drives another ring gear 137, which is keyed to the shaft 138 of a type cylinder 139 of the second printing unit, the type cylinder 139 and impression cylinder 140 of said second printing unit being driven in unison with each other by means of a spur gear 141 on the upper shaft 138 and a spur gear 142 on the impression cylinder shaft 143. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the second printing unit D is also movably mounted by means of flanged wheels 144 upon the forward extension 2 of the main frame. When the parts are in asscmbled relation, as indicated in Figure 16, the initial positions of the several parts permit the intelengagement of a lug 145 carried by the gear 52 of the upper slotter element with a notched plate 146 carried by the ring gear 122. At the same time, a lug 147 on the ring gear 137 interengages with a notched plate 148 on the ring gear 122. Interposed between the blank-creasing mechanism and the blank-slotting mechanism, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, are a pair of feed rolls 149 which are permanently geared by a pinion 150, which meshes with the spur gears 45 and 59, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Permanently arranged with respect to the first printing unit are feed rolls 151 which are driven by intermeshing pinions 152 which receive their power from a large spur gear 153 on the lower shaft 123 of the impression cylinder of the first printing unit. A similar pair of feed rolls 154, which are permanently arranged with respect to the second printing unit D, may be driven by intermeshing gears 155 by power delivered from a large spur gear 156 on the shaft 143 which carries the impression cylinder of the second printing unit. As shown best in Figure 1 of the drawings, the blank, after having received the transverse creasers and longitudinal slots, are passed successively through the first and second printing units, and from thence are conveyed by means of a series of paired feed rolls 156a to a blankcreasing machine which is shown diagrammatically on the drawings at F. Said blank-creasing machine constitutes the subject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 675,535, which was filed in the U. S. Patent Oflice under date of June 13, 1933.

While the adjustment and operation of the several units have been explained above, the general procedure employed in operating the machine may be explained as follows:

After the printing units Cand D, feeding unit E and the longitudinal creasing unit F have been moved away from the creasing and slotting unit as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the following procedure may be followed in setting up the machine for a run-off of box blanks difiering from those previously turned out by the machine. explained by means of a concrete example. For this purpose, let it be assumed that upon the completion of an order for box blanks provided with creases corresponding to the angular spacing of creaser bars 8 and 22 shown in Figure 5, it is desired to set up the machine for a new runoff of box blanks which are to be provided with creases to correspond to the angular spacing of This procedure is bestthe creaser bars 18 and 22 shown in Figure 6. The procedure may be as follows. By rotating shaft 6 to bring the mark 6a (see Figure 16) into registry with the fixed pointer 49a, the fixed creaser bars 18 and 1'7 are brought, say, into the positions occupied by movable creaser bars 22 and 21 according to Figure 6. With the blank-feeding mechanism in gear with the blank-creasing mechanism, the graduated disk 116 (see Figure 18) may be moved to bring its zero mark into registry with the fixed pointer 121. This combined manipulation of both mechanisms establishes a definite mathematical relationship between, predetermined initial positions of both mechanisms from which the creaser bars on the one hand and the blank-pushing bars on the other hand, may be definitely located with respect to each other. The blank-feeding mechanism may now be moved away from the blankcreasing mechanism to permit the angular setting of the movable creaser with respect to the fixed creaser bars. For this purpose (referring now to Figure 6), the shaft 6 may be rotated until the mark 27a on the gear 2'7 is brought into registry with a fixed mark (not shown) on an adjacent side frame. By means of this adjustment, creaser bars 22 and. 21 are brought into the positions shown in Figure 6. After lowering the locking segments 39, the cap screws 23 which secure the arcuate plates 19 and 20 to the respective creaser drums, are loosened and the fixed creaser bars 17 and 18 are shifted relatively to the movable creaser bars 21 and 22 until the desired angular spacing between the fixed and movable creaser bars is secured. This angular displacement is measured by the indicator mark 48 (see Figure 16) on the, scale 1). The five cap screws 23 on each of the arcuate plates 19 and 20 are then tightened, the locking segments 39 are raised, and the shaft 6 again turned over until the pointer 60. again registers with the fixed indicator 49a. The blank-feeding mechanism is new again moved back into gear with the creasing and slotting mechanism and the zero mark on the graduated disk 116 (see Figure 18) is adjusted into registry with the fixed pointer 121. In this way, the graduated disk 116 is accurately timed with the adjusted creaser bars so that it only remains to effect a measured adjustment of the blank-pushing bars in respect to the graduated disk 116. For this purpose, shaft 6 is further rotated to bring the mark in scale b (shown in Figure 16) which represents the depth of the box plus the width of one flap, into registry with the mark 48 on elbow 49. After this has been done, the nuts 120 -(see Figure 18) which bind the conveyor drive shaft 96 to the graduated disk 116, are loosened and the endless conveyor is adjusted relatively to said graduated disk 116 until the nearest pusher bar 99 is brought into registry with the mark in a graduated scale (not shown) on the feed board to correspond to the total width of the blank in.

As explained above, this adjustment of the creaser bars is transmitted automatically to the blank-slotting mechanism for imparting a 1ongitudinal adjustment to one pair of slotting cutters with respect to the other pair, according to depth of box required. For setting the punches and dies laterally, the machine is turned over until the zero mark on scale 58a coincides with the marker 121 on the side frame. The set screws in the punch and die holders are then released, after which the proper adjustment is made to gauge with the pinion wrench 83, operating on rack bar 81.

For the purpose of making refined adjustments of the slots to bring them into proper relation to the creases, a vernier adjustment head, similar to that shown in Figure 20, may be employed for the adjustment of the blank-punching mechanism relatively to the large power-transmitting gear 52 on the upper punch shaft 53.

In preparing the machine for operating upon a given sized blank, the printing units are spaced apart from each other and from adjacent units of the machine. The printing plates (previously prepared) are then set upon the type cylinders in predetermined positions. With the gears 122 and 137 set at zero on the scales 128 and 128a, as shown in Figure 16 of the drawings, and with the lugs 145 and 147 respectively engaged with the notched plates 146 and 148, a predetermined base or zero line on the printing plates will be arranged to meet the passing blank along the second or follow crease. Assuming this position to be the zero position, the nuts 125 and 12511 are loosened, and the type cylinders may be turned by means of a square socket wrench until the gear verniers indicate the desired amount of displacement of the printed matter with respect to the second or follow crease on the blank.

I claim:-

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a creasing and slotting unit comprising paired creasing elements and paired slotting elements cooperable in a common plane, a printing unit movable towards and away from said creasing and slotting unit, a second printing unit movable towards and away from the firstmentioned printing unit, each of said printing units comprising type and impression cylinders cooperatively arranged with respect to said common plane, intermeshing gears for revolving said creasing and slotting elements in unison with each other, measuring gears arranged respectively above and below said common plane, means for adjustably mounting one of said measuring gears on the lower cylinder of one printing unit, means for adjustably mounting the other measuring gear on the upper cylinder of the other printing unit, blank-feeding mechanism pro-' vided with feed rolls operable in said common plane and movable into and out of sheet delivery position with respect to said creasing and slotting unit, and means for adjustably timing the delivery of blanks from said blank-feeding mechanism to said creasing and slotting unit.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with upper and lower creaser shafts geared together to rotate in unison, a fixed creaser bar carried by each of said creaser shafts, said fixed creaser bars being constructed and arranged to be moved into and out of cooperation with each other by the rotation of said shafts, axially spaced gears freely rotatable on each of said creaser shafts, the freely rotatable gears on one shaft being in mesh with the correcreaser bars being constructed and arranged to be moved into and out of cooperation with each other by the rotation of said shafts, means for releasably locking each of the last-mentioned creaser bars to its shaft, and blank-feeding mechanism provided with blank-feeding rolls operable in a common plane with said creaser bars, said blank-feeding mechanism being normally geared to said creaser shafts and movable out of geared connection thereto to permit free access to said creaser bars.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with upper and lower creaser shafts geared together to rotate in unison, a fixed creaser bar carried by each of said creaser shafts, axially spaced gears freely rotatable on each of said creaser shafts, the freely rotatable gears on one shaft being in mesh with the corresponding freely rotatable gears on the other shaft, an arcuate plate slidable peripherally on each of said shafts and rigidly connecting the freely rotatable gears on each shaft, means for releasably locking each of said arcuate plates to its shaft, cooperating creaser bars mounted on said arcuate plates, and means movable into and out of interlocking engagement with the freely rotatable gears on one of said shafts.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with two creaser shafts geared together to rotate in unison, cooperating creaser bars mounted in fixed positions on said creaser shafts, axially spaced gears freely rotatable on each of said creaser shafts, the freely rotatable gears on one shaft being in mesh with the corresponding freely rotatable gears on the other shaft, an arcuate plate slidable peripherally on each of said shafts and rigidly connecting the freely rotatable gears on each shaft, means for releasably securing each of said arcuate plates to the creaser shaft upon which it is mounted, a creaser bar mounted on each of said arcuate plates, and means for holding said freely rotatable gears and. arcuate plates stationary While they are released from said shafts whereby the relative positions of the fixed and movable creaser bars may be adjusted by the rotation of said shafts.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with two shafts rotatable about parallel axes, intermeshing gears keyed respectively to said shafts for rotating said shafts in unison, axially spaced gears freely rotatable on each shaft, the freely rotatable gears on one shaft being in mesh with the corresponding freely rotatable gears on the other shaft, a fixed arcuate plate secured to each of said shafts, a fixed creaser bar mounted on said arcuate plate, a second arcuate plate slidable peripherally on each of said shafts relatively to the, fixed arcuate plate thereon and rigidly connecting the freely rotatable gears thereon, means for securing said second arcuate plate to its shaft in any desired position relatively to said fixed arcuate plate on the same shaft, and means movable into and out of locking engagement with one of the freely rotatable gears on one of the creaser bar shafts.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with two shafts rotatable about parallel axes, intermeshing gears keyed respectively to said shafts for rotating said shafts in unison, axially spaced gears freely rotatable on each shaft, the freely rotatable gears on one shaft being in mesh with the corresponding freely rotatable gears on the other shaft, a fixed arcuate platesecured to each of said shafts, a

fixed creaser bar mounted on said arcuate plate, a second arcuate plate slidable peripherally on each of said shafts relatively to the fixed arcuate plate thereon and rigidly connecting the freely rotatable gears thereon, means for securing said second arcuate plate to its shaft in any desired position relatively to said fixed arcuate plate on the same shaft, an eccentric shaft extending parallel to the axes of said shafts, eccentrics keyed to said eccentric shaft, and a gear segment connected to each of said eccentrics and movable thereby into and out of mesh with one of the freely rotatable gears on one of the creaser bar shafts.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with creaser shafts geared together to rotate in unison, of a pair ofcooperating creaser bars rigidly mounted on said shafts respectively, axially spaced gears freely rotatable on each of said shafts, the freely rotatable gears on one shaft being respectively in mesh with the freely rotatable gears on the other shaft, an arcuate plate slidable peripherally on each of said shafts and rigidly connected to the freely rotatable gears on that shaft, means for securing each of said arcuate plates to its shaft in different relative positions in respect to the rigidly respectively, axially spaced gears freely rotatable on each of said shafts, the freely rotative gears on one shaft being respectively in mesh with the freely rotatable gears on the other shaft, an arcuate plate slidableperipherally on each of said shafts and rigidly connected to the freely rotatable gears on that shaft, means for securing each of said arcuate plates to its shaft in different relative positions in respect to the rigidly mounted creaser bars on said shafts, a feed segment of unyielding material connected to one creaser bar of each cooperating pair of creaser bars, a feed segment of yieldable material secured to the othercreaser bar of that cooperating pair, and means for holding the freely rotatable gears on the creaser bar shafts stationary while permitting the cooperative rotation of said shafts for imparting relative angular adjustments of the fixed and movable creaser bars on each shaft.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a creasing and slotting unit comprising cooperating creasing drums arranged on opposite sides of a common feeding plane and cooperating slotting drums arranged on opposite sides of said common feeding plane, intermeshing gears rotatable about axes on opposite sides of said common plane, one of said gears being keyed to one of the creasing drums and the other of said gears being keyed to one of the slotting drums, a printing unit comprising type and impression cylinders geared together and respectively arranged on opposite sides of said common plane, another gear keyed to one of said cylinders on the side of said common plane opposite to the slotting drum to which one of the first-mentioned gears is keyed, said slotting drum and cylinder gears being in mesh one with the other, means for adjustably connecting said cylinder gear to said cylinder, and means for moving said printing unit towards and awayfrom said creasing and slotting unit.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a creasing and slotting unit comprising male and female creasing and slotting elements cooperable in a common plane, a printing unit movable towards and away from said creasing and slotting unit, a second printing unit movable towards and away from the first-mentioned printing unit, each of said printing units comprising type and impression cylinders cooperatively arranged with respect to said common plane, a train of intermeshing measuring gears coaxially arranged respectively with one of each pair of cooperating creasing and slotting elements and one of each pair of cylinders, said gears being arranged in alternation above and below said common plane, means for adjustably mounting the gears on said cylinders, and sheet-feeding mechanism movable into and out of sheet delivery position with respect to said creasing and slotting unit, said feeding mechanism being provided with feed rolls cooperatively arranged with respect to said common plane, and means adapted to be moved into and out of geared relation to said measuring gears for registering the sheets in said feeding mechanism with respect to said printing units.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a creasing and slotting unit comprising cooperating creasing drums arranged on opposite sides of a common feeding plane and cocperating slotting'drums arranged on opposite sides of said common feeding plane, intermeshing gears rotatable about axes on opposite sides of said common plane, one of said gears being keyed to one of the creasing drums and the other of said gears being-keyed to one of the slotting drums, a printing unit, means for moving said printing unit towards and away from said creasing and slotting unit, a second printing unit movable towards and away from the first-mentioned printing unit, each of said printing units comprising type and impression cylinders cooperatively arranged with respect to said common plane, intermeshing measuring gears ccaxially arranged respectively with one of each pair of cylinders, said gears being arranged in alternation above and below said common plane, and means for adjustably mounting the measuring gears on said cylinders.

12'. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a creasing and slotting unit comprising cooperating creasingdrums arranged on opposite sides of a common feeding plane and i cooperating slotting drums arranged on opposite sides of said common feeding plane, intermeshing gears rotatable about axes on opposite sides of said common plane, one of said gears being keyed to one of the creasing drums and the other of said gears being keyed to one of the slotting drums, a printing unit comprising type and impression cylinders geared together and respectively arranged on opposite sides of said common plane, another gear keyed to one of said cylinders on the side of said common plane opposite to the slotting drum to which one of the first-mentioned gears is keyed, said slotting drum and cylinder gears being in mesh one with the other, means for adjustably connecting said cylinder gear to said cylinder, means for moving said printing unit, towards and away from said creasing and slotting unit, sheet-feeding mechanism movable into and out of sheet delivery position with respect to said creasing and slotting unit, said sheet-feeding mechanism being provided with feed rolls cooperatively arranged with respect to said common plane, and means adapted by the movement of said sheet-feeding mechanism to be moved into and out of geared relation to said creasing and slotting unit for registering the sheets in said feeding mechanism with respect to said creasing and slotting mechanism.

13. A machine of the character claimed in claim 11, in which sheet-feeding mechanism is mcvable into and out of sheet delivery position with respect to said creasing and slotting unit and provided with feed rolls'cooperatively arranged with respect to said common plane.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a product-forming unit comprising variably timed pairs of product-forming tools cooperable in a common plane, of a printing unit movable towards and away from said product-forming unit, said printing unit comprising type and impression cylinders cooperatively arranged with respect to said common plane, and a train of intermeshing gears for rotating said units in unison with each other, said train of intermeshing gears including a measuring gear variably mounted on one of the printing unit cylinders.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a product-forming unit comprising a pair of upper and lower drums geared together to rotate in unison, said drums being provided with variably timed pairs of productforming tools, a printing unit comprising upper and lower cylinders geared together to rotate in unison, a second printing unit comprising upper and lower'cylinders geared together to rotate in unison, said units being constructed and arrangedto operate successively in a common plane on blanks passing therethrough, a power-transmitting train for cooperatively driving said units, said power-transmitting train including a powerdriven gear connected to one of said drums, and two other gears respectively variably secured to one cylinder of each printing unit.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination of upper and lower creasing drums provided with variably timed pairs of creasing elements, upper and lower slotting drums provided with variably timed pairs of slotting elements, a printing unit comprising upper and lower cylinders, said creasing elements, slot ting elements, and printing cylinders being constructed and arranged to operate successively in a common plane on blanks passing therebetween, means for cooperatively driving said creasing drums and slotting drums and printing cylinders, said driving means including gears respectively mounted on one of said creasing drums and one of said slotting drums, a measuring gear variably connected to one cylinder of said printing unit and in mesh with said gear on one of the slotting drums, blankconveying mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver sheets at variably timed intervals to said creasing elements, and geared connections between said blank-conveying mechanism and said gear on one of the creasing drums.

1'7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of upper and lower creasing drums provided with variably timed pairs of creasing elements, upper and lower slotting drums provided with variably timed pairs of slotting elements, a printing unit comprising upper and lower cylinders, said creasing elements, slotting elements and printing cylinders being constructed and arranged to operate successively in a common plane on blanks passing therebetween, means for cooperatively driving said creasing drums, slotting drums and printing cylinders, said driving means including gears mounted on one of said creasing drums and one of said slotting drums respectively, a measuring gear variably connected to one cylinder of said printing unit and in mesh with said gear on one of the slotting drums, blank-conveying mechanism movable into and out of position to deliver blanks to said creasing elements, said blank-conveying mechanism comprising feed-rolls operating in said common plane and blank-feeding means constructed and arranged to deliver blanks to said feed-rolls at variably timed intervals, and geared connections for detachably connecting said blank-conveying mechanism to said gear on one of the creasing drums.

18. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a pair of upper and lower creasing drums geared together to rotate in unison, said creasing drums being provided with variably timed pairs of creasing elements, a pair of upper and lower slotting drums geared together to rotate in unison, said slotting drums being provided with variably timed pairs of slotting elements, a printing unit comprising upper and lower cylinders geared together to rotate in unison, a second printing unit comprising upper and lower cylinders geared together to rotate in unison, said creasing drums, slotting drums and printing units being constructed and arranged to operate successively on blanks passing therethrough, a power-transmitting train for cooperatively driving said creasing drums, slotting drums and printing units, said power-transmitting train including a power-driven gear fixedly secured to one of said creasing drums, a second gear fixedly secured to one of the slotting drums and driven by the first-mentioned gear, a third gear, and a fourth gear, said third and fourth gears being connected up in series with the firstand second-mentioned gears and respectively variably secured to one cylinder of each printing uni 19. A machine of the character claimed in claim 18, in which blank-feeding mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver sheets at variably timed intervals to said creasing drums is movable into and out of geared connection with the firstmentioned gear.

20. A machine of the character claimed in claim 18, in which blank-feeding mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver sheets at variably timed intervals to said creasing drums is movable into and out of geared connection with the firstmentioned gear, said blank-feeding mechanism being provided with feed-rolls operating in a common plane with said creasing drums.

21. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair of upper and lower creasing drums geared together to rotate in unison, said creasing drums being provided with variably timed pairs of creasing elements, a pair of upper and lower slotting drums geared together to rotate in unison, said slotting drums being provided with variably timed pairs or slotting elements, a printing unit comprising upper and lower cylinders geared together to rotate in unison, a

second printing unit comprising upper and lower cylinders geared together to rotate in unison, said creasing drums, slotting drums andprinting units being constructed and arranged to operate succes- 5 'sively in a common plane on blanks passing therethrough, a power-transmitting gear secured to one of said creasing drums on one side of said common plane, a second gear secured to one of the slotting drums on the other side of said com- -m'on plane and in mesh with said power-trans- -mitting gear, a third gear, and a fourth gear, said third and fourth gears being respectively variably secured to one cylinder of each printing unit on opposite sides of said common plane with respect to the first-mentioned gear and secondmentioned gear respectively.

22. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair of upper and lower slotting drums geared together to rotate in unison, said slotting drums being provided with variably timed pairs of slotting elements, a printing mitting train including a power-driven gear.

fixedly secured to one of said slotting drums, and

two other gears respectively variably secured to one cylinder of each printing unit, blank-feeding mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver blanks at variable periodicity, said blank-feeding mechanism being provided with feed-rolls operating in said common plane, a blank-conveyor for delivering blanks to said feed-rolls, and geared connections between said blank-conveyor and said power-transmitting train including a vernier adjustment between said blank-conveyor and said feed-rolls.

23. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a product-forming unit comprising upper and lower drums geared together to rotate in unison and provided with variably timed pairs of product-forming tools, a printing unit comprising upper and lower cylinders-geared together to rotate in unison, a power-transmitting gear secured to one of said drums, another gear variably secured to one cylinder of said printing unit and driven by said power-transmitting gear, blank-feeding mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver blanks at variably timed intervals to said product-forming unit, said blankfeeding mechanism being provided with feed-rolls operating in a common plane with said productforming tools, and geared connections between said blank-feeding mechanism and said productforming unit including a vernier adjustment between said blank-conveyor and said feed-rolls.

24. In a machine of the character described, the combination of cooperating slotter drums geared together to rotate in-unison, one of said slotter drums being provided with a longitudinal recess, a key-bar seated in said longitudinal recess', said key-bar comprising a radial branch projecting beyond the periphery of said slotter drum and a rack-forming branch terminating within the periphery of said slotter drum, a slotting cutter splined to said slotter drum by meansiof said radial branch of the key-bar, said slotting cutter being provided with a socket opening leading to said recess adjacent to said rackforming branch of the key-bar, a pinion wrench fitting said socket opening and provided with a terminal pinion constructed to mesh with said rack-bar, and a slotting cutter splined to the other slotting drum.

25. In a machine of the character described, the combination of upper and lower slotter drums geared together to rotate in unison, one of said drums being provided with a longitudinal recess having substantially radial and part-chordal surfaces within the periphery of said' drum, a keybar seated in said longitudinal recess, said keybar comprising a radial branch abutting the substantially radial surfaceand projecting beyond the periphery of said drum and a rack-forming branch abutting against the part-chordal surface and terminating within the periphery of said drum, a slotter block splined to said drum by means of said radial branch of the key-bar," said slotter block being provided with a socket opening normal to the chordal surface of said recess, a pinion wrench fitting said socket opening and constructed to abut against said chordal surface in mesh with said rack-bar, said pinion wrench being provided with a pinion constructed and arranged to mesh with said rack-forming branch of the key-bar, and male and female slotter plates mounted respectively on said slotter blocks.

26. In a machine of the character described, the combination of cooperating slotter drums geared together to rotate in unison, male and female slotting cutters splined to said slotter drums respectively, said slotting cutters being constructed and arranged for either to be shifted axially by the other for lateral adjustment on their respective drums, a guide bar extending axially of said slotter drums, and a blank-stripper slidable on said guide bar, said stripper being provided with axially spaced branches presented between said slotter drums on opposite sides of said male slotting cutter.

27. In a machine of the character described, the combination of upper and lower slotter drums geared together to rotate in unison, male and female slotting cutters splined to said upper and lower slotter drums respectively, a guide bar arranged above and to the rear of the upper slotter drum, a bracket support slidable on said guide bar, and axially spaced arcuate blank-stripping branches depending from said slidable bracket support on opposite sides of the circular path of the male slotting cutter, said axially-spaced blank-stripping branches being provided with forwardly presented extremities arranged above the plane of feed of blanks passing between said slotting cutters.

28. In a machine of the character described, the combination of upper and lower parallelly arranged shafts geared together to rotate in unison, slotter blocks splined to said shafts respectively, male and female slotting dies mounted on said slotter blocks, a guide bar extending parallel to said shafts, and a blank-stripping frame slidable on said guide bar, said blank-stripping frame substantially conforming to and slidably interlocking with the periphery of the slotter block which carries the male slotting die and having its free and presented forwardly between said slotter blocks out of the path ofthe female slotting die.

29. In a machine of the character described, the combination of upper and lower slotter drums geared together to rotate in unison, male and female slotting cutters splined to said slotter drums respectively; said slotting cutters bein 150 constructed and arranged for one to be shifted axially on its shaft by the other, a guide bar extending above and to the rear of the upper slotter drum, and a blank-stripping frame slidable on said guide bar, said blank-stripping frame being provided with a depending portion slidably interlooking with the periphery of the upper slotter drum and with a horizontal end portion presented forwardly between said slotter drums adjacent the plane of feed of blanks operatedupon by said slotting cutters.

30. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair of blank-creasing drums rotatable in unison, relatively adjustable cooperating pairs of creasing elements mounted on said drums to cooperate at variably timed intervals, one of said drums beingprovided with means for measuring the relative angular displacement of the creasing elements on each drum in respect to an initial timing position of the drum, blank-conveying mechanism movable into and out of position to supply blanks to said blank-creasing drums, said blank-=conveying mechanism being provided with means for delivering blanks to said creasing drums at variably timed intervals, and positively geared, operating connections between said creasing drums and the blank-conveying mechanism including power-transmitting gears movable into and out of mesh with each other by the movements of said blank-conveying mechanism, and means for measuring the timed delivery of the blanks with respect to a predetermined initial position of the,

creasing drums.

31. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pair of creaser shafts geared together to rotate in unison, fixed and movable creaser bars carried by each of said creaser shafts, the creaser bars oneach of said shafts being constructed and arranged to cooperate with the corresponding creaser bars on the other of said shafts, means for measuring the common angular displacement of the movable creaser bars on said shaft relatively to the corresponding fixed creaser bars on said shafts with respect to a predetermined initialposition of said fixed creaser bars, blank-feeding mechanism including an endless belt provided with pusher bars, a drive shaft for said endless belt, and positively geared connections between said creaser shafts "and said blank-feeding mechanism, said geared connections including a measuring disk releasably connected to said drive shaft, and means for measuring the relative angular displacement of said drive shaft from a predetermined initial position of said measuring disk with respect to the predetermined initial position of said fixed creaser bars.

32, In a machine of the character described, the combination with upper and lower creaser shafts geared together to rotate in unison, fixed creaser bars respectively carried by said creaser shafts and arranged to cooperate with each other during the rotation of said shafts, axially spaced gears freely rotatable on each of said creaser shafts, the freely rotatable gears on one shaft being respectively in mesh with the freely rotatable gears on the other shaft, another creaser bar rigidly mounted on the freely rotatable gears on each shaft, means for releasably securing said freely rotatable gears to the shafts upon which they are mounted, the last-mentioned creaser bars being arranged to cooperate with each other during the rotation of said shafts, means for measuring the common angular displacement of the last-mentioned creaser bars with respect to said fixed creaser bars, blankfeeding mechanism comprising an endless belt nrovided with pusher bars connected thereto at uniformly spaced intervals and a drive shaft for said endless belt, a gear freely journalled on said drive shaft; geared connections between one of said creaser shafts and the last-mentioned gear, a vernier head connected to the last-mentioned gear, and a vernier disk secured to said drive shaft for the endless belt and variably connected to said vernier head for measuring the relative angular displacement of said drive shaft with respect to a predetermined position of said creaser bars.

GEORGE W. SWIFT, Ja. 

